Hot Chocolate and Sweaters
by excusemesirx
Summary: Zoe gets lost, and Lash has an awful day. Hot chocolate is involved, along with sweaters and a bit of OOC but for a good reason.


As I walked home with my music blaring in my ears, I predicted my exchange with my aunt when I got home; she would ask me how my day was, like she's done every day since she got back from her business trip she left on my first day of Sky High. Which actually reminded me; Maria left for another business trip yesterday, so I walked into an empty house, throwing my backpack on my bed and flipping on the tv in the living room.

It wasn't until about 6 and I was in the middle of a marathon of my favorite series, Criminal Minds, when I realized I hadn't eaten anything since breakfast this morning. I couldn't remember the place that Maria and always went to, but it was a café close by that I think I could remember how to get to. Without much direction of where I was going, since my direction was quite awful, I set out to find the café.

I took a left from my house, then walked two blocks, before taking a right. Walking another two blocks, I took a left. Five turns later and stuck at a dead end, it was official; I had no idea where the hell I was.

And then, wait for it, guess what. It started raining.

So, there I was, walking around aimlessly, while it was pouring rain. My luck was outstanding. Since my power was water, I _could've _manipulated the water to go around me. I didn't think of that at the time of course; which is why I decided to just sit cross-legged on the sidewalk.

"Move out of my way- oh it's you," his rant halted as soon as he saw it was me. I guess he wasn't too fond of average people sitting on the ground by what I'm guessing is his house. "Are you stalking me?"

I shook my head at him, running my hand through my hair. I made a face as I picked up my now ruined hair, the rain causing the blonde to have a see-through effect.

"Then why are you by my house?"

"I'm sort of lost," I said quietly, to where he couldn't hear me. He raised his eyebrows. I repeated myself, but louder. He sighed and started walking, forcing me to push myself up off of the ground and run to catch up with him.

"I'm only 5'3! Slow down!" I yelled after thunder cracked, my ears ringing. He didn't acknowledge me in any way, but he did slow down. Very soon, he hailed a taxi and we climbed in, the driver obviously not caring much for two soaking wet teenagers in the back of his taxi. I recited my address, and learned that the drive was less than 15 minutes. I went to pay the driver, but he already had money in his hands, so we climbed out of the back of his taxi.

Walking up to the door, I realized something; why didn't we just go back to his house? I voiced the question when we were at my door and he just shrugged.

"Well, do you wanna come inside?" he nodded, looking relieved that I asked him in. Walking into my house, he looked around, as though he was expecting someone to pop out at him while examining my house. "My aunt is on a business trip for the next 4 days. I'm going to go upstairs and change, I'll be right back." his response was a simple nod. Up the stairs, I vouched to not go for the skiing penguin pajamas I got for last Christmas. Instead, I threw on yoga pants and a sweatshirt, drying my hair quickly with a towel and putting it up in a messy bun. I grabbed one of my dads shirts and my older brothers' sweats that I took when I moved, and went back downstairs to find him standing in the kitchen.

"These are the only guy clothes I have in the house because they're my dad's and brother's," I tossed the clothes on the counter. "Want me to dry yours?" he answered with a simple yeah before going into the bathroom to change. For the first time since I saw him today, I noticed he'd been acting extremely strange. For one, he was barely talking, and he wasn't joking around. At all. It's extremely unsettling. He was taking a very long time in the bathroom, also.

I was just finished pouring the hot milk into the cups for the hot chocolate when he finally came out, offering me the clothes. I took them and threw them into the drier before coming out to find that both of the cups of hot chocolate had disappeared. I walked into the living room and sat down on the couch next to him as he flipped through the channels, and picked up my mug from the coffee table.

"Do you like it?" I was surprised by the sound of his voice, jumping. I was lost in the thought that he looked very attractive, even in just sweats and a t-shirt. In a way, he looked like he belonged there; sitting on my couch, flipping through the channels.

"Zoë?" his voice snapped me back to attention again.

"Lash?"

"I asked a question."

"You did. Yes, I do," I took another sip of my hot chocolate, still looking at his face when he seemed to not want to meet my eyes. "Thank you. What'd you do?"

"Vanilla. My mom did it," his response was simple, putting his arm on the back of the couch.

"My dad always made hot chocolate for me when I was upset. I'd demand he put milk in it; that it tasted terrible when he used water," I replied simply, taking another long drink of my hot chocolate. I was holding it with both hands, trying to warm up my still frozen hands. Lash had already finished his, plucking mine from my hands and holding it while I scooted closer to him and he fully put his arm around me, and he gave me back my hot chocolate. We ended up watching more Criminal Minds episodes, and ordering take out Chinese food, since my plan for eating at the café had been shot.

Somehow, we ended up laying down on my couch, my head on his chest and my hair down with him running his hands through it. I looked up at him, resting my chin on his chest.

"Lash?" he made a 'hmm' sound, glancing down at me. "Why are you here?"

"Do you really want to know?" I made a noise of agreement. "Anniversary of mom's death. Rather not spend it at home." he tightened his fist slightly, and it drew my attention to the scars barely darker than his skin lining his arms. I started tracing them, and he went to jerk his arm away, but stopped when I tightened my grip on his arm. He relaxed slightly, letting me do what I pleased. When I began to fall asleep, I tried to keep myself awake, but he started to play with my hair again, making me fall asleep.

I woke up alone on the couch, a blanket over me with my dad and brother's clothes folded neatly on the armrest. Under further inspection, there was a note, with just two words on it. _"Thank you."_

**This was going to be a chapter for a fic I started, but ended up deleting, so I made it into a one-shot. He's obviously OOC, because it's the anniversary of his mother's death, and I could've had him either be extremely rude or just dazed and lost in thought. I hope you enjoyed it.**


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